Paddy Davitt delivers his Millwall verdict after a top notch 3-2 Championship comeback win.

1. Statement of intent

What a goal from Gabby Sara. What a goalline block from Grant Hanley. What a comeback against a play-off rival who had not lost on home soil in the Championship since September 14.

David Wagner had the air of a child waiting for Christmas when he spoke excitedly about the challenge ahead for his squad in the pre-match media call.

To win, and win in this fashion, might now present a different problem – namely keeping a lid on soaring expectation after Norwich edged Millwall out of the top six.

Plenty of games, plenty of points, plenty of twists and turns. But try telling the 3,000 or so travelling support to keep their feet planted. Wagner himself made the salient point after this win if the league table had no bearing in the previous eight league games under him, then easing into the top six now should not set hearts aflutter.

Wagner’s side had answered those questions about the residual issues hindering any real sustained progress at Carrow Road under the former management. But there were other nagging threads tugging at the belief and new found optimism. That dire record against teams at the top end, for a start, coupled with that long unbeaten run for the Lions. But Norwich delivered when it mattered.

2. Short cuts

Not one but two short corner routines paid off in fine style. Jacob Sorensen was left unattended to sweep home a Sara spot. Then the Brazilian later picked out Onel Hernandez, who capped a superb second half with the burst along the byline and then a stabbed cross Tom Bradshaw bundled past George Long.

That was the cue for the Cuban not to celebrate in front of the delirious massed ranks at that end of the stadium, but turn and hare back towards the away technical area where first team coach Andrew Hughes emerged before he was mobbed by joyous players.

Wagner declined to comment on why set piece coach Allan Russell was not part of his backroom team, when asked afterwards, but the tone of his reply suggested the Scot might not be part of his longer term plans.

In Russell’s absence the match-sealing strike, which involved the same two players, was a thing of pure beauty.

Hernandez squared up his man and turned on the after burners before the perfect cut back for Sara who controlled and swivelled in one motion before crashing a left footed strike against the underside of the bar. A goal fit to win any game.

3. Special J

Sorensen does not deal in tap ins when he does get on the scoresheet for Norwich. That thumping right footer drilled into the top corner from outside the area was a particular highlight of an early season League Cup tussle against Birmingham.

His first in the league this season was less spectacular, but no less important. Given how vibrant Millwall were looking, buoyed by that early breakthrough.

The Dane escaped detection to arrive unmarked from the edge of the penalty area to sidefoot Sara’s corner past Long, who appeared to be partially unsighted by a home defender inside the six yard box.

Lions’ chief Gary Rowett indicated that Zian Flemming may have sliced the shot past his own keeper.

Sorensen’s season, on a personal level, between those two goals has been a tale of injury and recovery.

A fractured foot at Hull in August set back his cause, until he returned for his first start since in last week’s 2-0 Championship home win over Cardiff. Although at Millwall Wagner opted to restore Sorensen to the midfield berth he has craved since he arrived at Carrow Road.

There is no doubting his versatility but the equaliser at the Den was an added bonus for a player who has made a bigger impact in a yellow shirt operating at left back. Wagner clearly sees his value further forward.

It was only a matter of when, not if, he got a first start under the German. Now the question is how big a role he has to come over the run in.

4. Hail the GOAT

At one point in the second half this game looked perfectly set up for Teemu Pukki to mark his 200th appearance in green and yellow with another Millwall match winner, and at the same end of the ground to boot.

Almost to the day back in 2019 Pukki slotted the third in a hard-fought 3-1 Championship win during a season that ended memorably for the prolific Finn and his team mates.

There was one real sighter in this victory that arrived in the 53rd minute to repeat the feat, when his quick feet took him into the Millwall penalty area but he rolled a shot wide of the far post.

Pukki left the fireworks to others in another selfless shift which, when people do look back in the fullness of time at his seismic impact, may chose to overlook if they opt to focus purely on the goals and assists.

The 32-year-old is not just a scorer of goals, he is a team player who has buried himself season after season. Even in those two failed Premier League tilts he scored goals in multiples to suggest he is a genuine top flight performer.

Whether he gets the chance for a third go at Norwich may hold the key to whether he remains beyond his Carrow Road contract, which is set to expire this summer.

That would be a picture book ending for both parties, but should reality crash in and Pukki is now entering the end game, what an indelible impression he will leave in a modern day era he is synonymous in helping to shape.

5. Captain’s knock

The goal line block from Grant Hanley to keep out Bradshaw’s late effort was celebrated by his team mates in the vicinity almost as much as Sara’s sublime finish.

It was worth a goal. It was certainly an intervention that preserved all three points. Who knows how pivotal that one act could be?

Hanley sensed the danger and had the presence of mind to shuffle back and add an extra layer of insurance behind Angus Gunn, who gratefully grasped the ball as it rebounded inside his six yard box.

The skipper, and fellow centre back Ben Gibson, will know they should have dealt with the booming punt that allowed Bradshaw to escape and open the scoring. But as Wagner highlighted in the build up to this game the experienced core of his group have stood up and led the way.

Hanley, Gibson and Kenny McLean know what it takes, and have the experience to handle the turbulent swings you must navigate to come out successfully the other side. In a tight, tense affair they underlined their value.